LONDON, March 16, 2022 (AFP) – A book on President Vladimir Putin’s inner circle written by a British journalist has topped the UK’s bestseller list, its publisher said on Wednesday after Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich sued the author.
Catherine Beldon’s “Putin ‘People”, first published in 2020, is “the best-selling non-fiction book in the UK,” said William Collins Books editorial director Arabella Pike in a note.
The critically acclaimed book has faced a series of lawsuits from Russian presidents, including Abramovich, three of whom have been subjected to UK sanctions.
“I want the situation to be different, but I’m very grateful for all the attention Putin’s people are receiving,” Belton wrote on Twitter, thanking publisher Harper Collins for selling the book despite the lawsuits.
The publisher reached an out-of-court settlement with leading plaintiff Abramovich in December last year.
The book was a bestseller when it was published in the Sunday Times, and sales soared again with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Abramovich, who bought Chelsea in 2003, allowed the UK on March 10 to impose a property freeze, a travel ban and a ban on transactions with British people and companies.
On Monday, the European Union (EU) approved new sanctions for Russia’s occupation of Ukraine, including by Abramovich, ambassadors said.
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